Pilgrimage in Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal is often recognized as a pilgrim destination because the state is home to four of the most revered holy sites namely, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath known as Char Dham that Hindus aspire to visit.

The state is often referred to as 'Devbhumi' or the land of the gods, and pilgrims have been visiting the holy places in Uttaranchal for more than a thousand years now in the hope of salvation and purification from sin.

The Chardham, which are the main attractions of Uttaranchal Pilgrimage are snow-bound for most part of the year and opens only during May to October. Gangotri and Yamunotri are the sources of the two holy rivers, namely Ganges and Yamuna respectively and lie in Garhwal region of the state.

Other important destinations of pilgrimage in Uttaranchal are Haridwar and Rishikesh. Every 12 years, Haridwar hosts the Maha Kumbha Mela where millions of Hindu pilgrims come to take part from all parts of India. This fair also attracts hordes of tourists from all across the world. Haridwar is also the home of popular shrines like Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi, whereas Rishikesh has the Neel Kanth Mahadev shrine. Besides, the Vishwanath temple of Almora and Binsar Mahadev temple of Ranikhet are also some of the major attractions of pilgrimage in Uttaranchal.

Amongst other Uttaranchal Pilgrimage destinations, Hemkund Sahib located in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas is very popular and holds special significance to the Sikh community in the country. On the other hand, Ritha Sahib is another important religious centre of the Sikhs located in the Kumaon region. Besides these popular Pilgrimage spots in Uttaranchal, the state also has a number of temples and shrines, dedicated to local deities and Gods.

Baijnath is another important pilgrim destination in Kumaon. Here a set of ancient temples of the 12th and 13th century lie in the banks of the Gomti River. Punyagiri is another religious destination situated around Pithoragarh whereas Jageshwar near Almora, Bageshwar near Kausani and Joshimath are also important holy destinations in Uttaranchal.

Uttaranchal is also common place of visit for Tibetan Buddhists because of Mindroling Monastery and its Buddha Stupa, located in Dehradun. The Buddha Stupa here is touted as one of the worlds highest.